This application claims the benefit of the Korean Applications No. P2000-83907 filed on Dec. 28, 2000 and No. P2000-83908 filed on Dec. 28, 2000, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner which can dispose of condensed water from an evaporator within the air conditioner itself, and improve an air conditioner efficiency.
2. Background of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, in general, the air conditioner is an apparatus provided with a compressor 1, a condenser 2, a capillary tube 3, and an evaporator 4, for forming a series of refrigerating cycles by subjecting refrigerant to compression at the compressor 1, to isobaric condensation at the condenser 2, to adiabatic expansion at the capillary tube 3, and to isobaric evaporation at the evaporator 4.
In the meantime, there is condensed water formed on a surface of the evaporator 4, for removal of which the air conditioner is provided with an additional condensed water disposal device. Though not shown, the condensed water disposal device is, as known, provided with a separate condensed water storage chamber for collecting the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4 and discharge to outside of the air conditioner at fixed intervals.
However, the condensed water disposal device has the following problems.
Since the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4 is not disposed of within the air conditioner itself, but drained to the exterior of the air conditioner, installation and use of the air conditioner have been complicated. That is, there has been a complication in installation of the air conditioner as a separate drain hose is required for guiding the condensed water formed at the evaporator 4, and a hole is punctured in a wall for passing the hose, and a complication in use as re-routing of the hose is required when the air conditioner is re-positioned.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an air conditioner that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner which can dispose of condensed water from an evaporator within the air conditioner itself, e.g. without discharging to the outside of the air conditioner, and improve an air conditioner efficiency.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the air conditioner comprising a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser capable of rejecting high temperature heat from the refrigerant within said air conditioner to an external heat sink, an evaporator which absorbs external heat from a heat source, wherein said heat source is external air, and condensed water from said external air is capable of being formed on a surface of said evaporator by a temperature difference with the external air, and a condensed water self disposal device for transferring the condensed water on the surface of the evaporator to an external surface of the condenser, and evaporating the condense water from the surface of the condenser by the high temperature heat from the condenser, thereby disposing of the condensed water within the air conditioner itself.
The condensed water self disposal device may include a guide flow passage for guiding the condensed water formed at the evaporator to a condenser side, and a condensed water spraying unit provided on a side of the condenser for spraying the condensed water guided from the guide flow passage onto the surface of the condenser.
The condensed water self disposal device may require no additional device for transferring condensed water formed at the evaporator to the condenser, but to fit the evaporator over the condenser so that the condensed water falls down from the evaporator to a surface of the condenser by gravity, and evaporates, and disappears by the high temperature heat from the evaporator.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.